NDP leadership race hits home stretch POLITICS
In a week, New Democrats will be able to vote on the next leader of the party. Three weeks from now it’ll all be over.
The deadline to sign up new members has passed, so the next couple of weeks will be all about the three candidates working the phones and trying to nail down as many votes as they can.
Former fisheries union president Earle McCurdy is widely seen as the frontrunner in the race, racking up endorsements from party insiders and union leaders.
McCurdy said he’s been receiving a good response from people about his public style as a perceived straight-shooter.
He said if he becomes leader, the party will place heavy emphasis on the solutions for the province’s fiscal situation and the “democratic deficit” in government.
McCurdy said the reduction of eight seats from the House of Assembly will likely be a big deal come the fall.
“I think that’ll become a very significant campaign issue, at least in those parts of the province that will come out of that process seeing that their representation has been significantly diminished, i.e. the rural areas, because that’s where the hit is going to come,” he said.
Giving voice
Mike Goosney, a former town councillor from Labrador City, said his priority as a leadership candidate is giving people more of a voice in politics.
“There are always issues, but if they don’t get dealt with, that’s when they become complaints,” he said. “And a lot of people feel that their issues aren’t being heard.”
Goosney said health care is his top priority, especially expanding services to rural parts of the province. He said the first step is listening to people in the system and cutting through the bureaucracy.
“That’s going to cost quite a bit of money, and I think you need to find savings before you can actually implement that, but those savings are there,” Goosney said.
Finance reform
Chris Bruce is a former party executive member who quit in the wake of the 2013 caucus revolt. He’s made electoral finance reform the cornerstone of his campaign — getting corporate and union donations out of politics.
Bruce acknowledged McCurdy is out in front.
“Just in terms of pure endorsements, he’s definitely the frontrunner. He’s had the public figures of the party line up behind him very quickly,” Bruce said. “I’m sure he also has more money coming in than me.”
But Bruce said he’s more than a one-issue candidate. He said he’d like to see the party adopt a pharmacare program similar to Quebec, and raise taxes on people making more than $70,000 so they could decrease taxes on people making less.
Party members will be able to vote by phone or online between Feb. 25 and March 5.
On March 7, party members will gather in St. John’s for a convention. Delegates who come to St. John’s will be able to cast their ballots at the Sheraton Hotel during the convention.